Engine heating device



June 10, 1958 R. LADUE 2,838,648

ENGINE HEATING DEVICE Filed Dec'. 21, 1956 INVENTOR. Roazxr 1.4005

United States Patent ENGINE HEATING DEVICE Robert Ladue, Minneapolis,Minn.

Application December 21, 1956, Serial No. 629,822

2 Claims. (Cl. 219-38) This invention relates to an engine heater. Morespecifically this invention has to do with a heater to be attached tothe crankcase of an engine.

It is particularly desirable to have an engine heater in connection withthe use of winter motorized equipment, such as tractors and othermachinery used for snow removal. This equipment is generally stored inan unheated enclosure or out of doors when not in use. Frigidtemperatures congeal the oil in the crankcase and stiffen the grease inthe engine bearings. It is difiicult to start a motor under suchconditions and the congealed oil and stiffened grease place an unusualstrain and unusual wear on various parts of the engine. Moreover thereis a considerable warmup period required before enough heat is generatedto heat the oil and grease for eflicient operation of the engine. Anengine heater is desirable therefore which will warm up the oil in thecrankcase and the grease in the engine bearings whereby there may beinstant starting available and immediate eflicient operation of theengine. It is desirable to have such a heater which may be activatedfrom a remote point prior to the desired time of usage of the affectedequipment.

It is an object of applicants invention to provide an engine heater, andsuch a heater as is herein disclosed has been successfully used withGravely equipment.

It is another object of this invention to provide an engine heatercomprising a member adapted to overlie a portion of the crankcase of anengine and be secured thereto and have therein an electrical heatingelement.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an engine heatercomprising a convex concavo member adapted to overlie a portion of acrankcase having means for being secured to said crankcase and havingtherein an electrical heating element with an electrical contactconnected to said element and extending outwardly of said member.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide an engine heatercomprising a member substantially rectangular in plan and convex concavoin form adapted to fit over a portion of a crankcase having a pair ofspaced apertured lugs extending outwardly therefrom to be secured tosaid crankcase and a recess in said member with an electrical heatingelement disposed in said recess, a cover plate over said element and anelectrical contact connected to said element and extending outwardly ofsaid member.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing applicants device in operatingposition;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of applicants device with a part thereof shownin dotted line;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of one end portion of applicants device;and

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 asindicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, an embodiment of applicants engine heater isshown comprising a body member 10 having an inner side 11 and an outerside 12. Said member 10 may be variously formed but is here illustratedas being substantially rectangular in plan and convex concave in form.Said member 10 is here shown in operating position adapted to fit over aportion of a crankcase 14. Said member 10 may be made of variousmaterials, but in the present embodiment it has been found desirable tomake it of cast aluminum. A shallow groove 13 is formed transversely ofsaid side 11 to make said side conform to said crankcase 14 and makeallowance for a rib structure shown in said crankcase.

in the present embodiment said member 10 is secured to said crankcase 14by spaced apertured lugs 15 extending outwardly at right angles from theupper end portion of said member 10 and overlying an edge portion ofsaid crankcase. Screws 16 extend through said apertured lugs and arethreaded into said crankcase.

A recess 21 is formed in said outer side 12. Said recess is ofsufficient depth to receive therein an electrical heat ing element 22and having a somewhat greater depth at one end to accommodate theelectrical contacts 26 at one end of said heating element. Various formsof heating elements may be used. A commonly used type is here shownformed as a pair of joined corrugated plates of which only one is shownin section in Fig. 4 and having insulators 22a at either side thereof.Said heating element will be adapted to be activated by electricalcurrent such as in common household use and may be connected to a sourceof such current by an ordinary appliance cord, such as an electric ironcord. A cover plate 24 overlies said heating element 22 and is securedto said member 1-3 by screws 25 adjacent the edge portion of said side12. Said electrical contacts 26 extend through said plate 24 having hubportions 26a adjacent the outer side of said plate and will extendthrough said heating element to make contact. Said heating element 22 isshown secured to said contacts by lock nuts 28. Insulating washers 29are used to insulate said contacts as illustrated. The outwardlyextending portions of said contacts 26 will be connected to a source ofelectrical current by an appliance cord.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very simply constructed engineheater adapted to be very easily secured to a crankcase and activated bythe use of an ordinary appliance cord, such as an electric iron cord,and it may be attached to any available source of electrical current.Said engine heater is in commercial production and has proved to be veryefficient in use under severe winter weatherconditions.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and pro portions of the parts, Withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment for a small tractor constituting a heating device forready starting having in combination with a motor of said tractor havinga crankcase with a substantially cylindrical surface at its lower side,a plate member having a curved surface at one side fitting about saidlower side, said plate having lugs at each side thereof at one endextending at right angles to said plate and engaging the side of saidcrankcase, said crankcase having bolts extending through said lugs intothe side of said crankcase body for securing said plate to saidcrankcase, said plate having a chamber therein, an electrical heatingelement in said chamber, a pair of electrodes for said heating elementprojecting from the bottom of said plate, and a removable cover platesecured to said plate and forming a closure for said chamber, said boltsand electrodes being very accessible at one end of said motor andtractor.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, said plate being substantiallyrectangular in plan, plate-like insulating members at each side of saidheating element, said electrodes being secured to said cover plate andbeing removable with said cover plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

